Talks meaningless unless Kashmir is resolved: Pak minister

Ashok Tuteja in Maldives

Pakistan Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan on Saturday said no substantial progress could be achieved in the Indo-Pak talks until the core issue of Kashmir is resolved.

''You can't sustain the talks if Kashmir is ignored,'' he said. ''The talks will be meaningless if Kashmir is not on the agenda.''

However, Khan was optimistic that Prime Minister I K Gujral and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif would be able to ''break the ice'' when they meet in Male on Monday on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit.

Khan said Gujral enjoyed tremendous goodwill in Pakistan since he hailed from Jhelum in that country.

Both Gujral and Sharif are arriving in Maldives on Sunday and are expected to meet on Monday afternoon after the three-day SAARC summit is inaugurated.

Meanwhile, India expressed its readiness to discuss all bilateral issues with Pakistan when Gujral meets Sharif. This was disclosed by Commerce Minister B Ramaiah.

Ramaiah has been deputed by the prime minister to attend the two-day SAARC ministerial level meeting, beginning here on Sunday.

Gujral will be assisted in talks by foreign secretary Salman Haider, Indian high commissioner in Pakistan, Satish Chandra and other senior officials.

UNI